Railway-card holder.



c. 0. KEAGY &. J. R. GARMER.

RAILWAY CARD HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1912.

m r w m 1 12 fi/ f m CD-, WASHINGTON n c G. 0. KEAGY & J. R. GARMER.

RAILWAY CARD HOLDER.

I v V APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913.

3 'SHBBTSSHEET 2.

(7&zzw6 R Carmel 0. 0L KEAGY & J. R. GARMER.

RAILWAY CARD HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1912.

Patented June 24,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TED STATES ATN O FTCE.

CHARLES 0. KEAGY AND JAMES R. GARMER, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

RAILWAY-CARD HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES O. KEAGY andJAMES R. CARMER, citizens of the United States, residing at Wilmington,in the county of Newcastle and'State of Delaware, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Railway-Card Holders, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to devices for holding railway equipmentcards, more especially the so-called M. C. B. repair and defect cards.These cards, which should, under the provisions of the Master CarBuilders Association, be fastened to all freight equipment cars in themanner and at the point prescribed thereby, have, as a matter of fact,no common location nor mode of mounting, but are ordinarily fastened toany suitable point on. the car by a single tack. In consequence, carinspectors are subjected to great inconvenience and, in some instances,to positive danger, in locating the cards and in deciphering the datathereon, especially when the cards are attached beneath the cars to theunder faces of the sills or to the bolsters, at night, and in dark orcloudy weather. Difficulty is also experienced in reading the cards whenas a result of exposure the writing thereon has faded or become blurred,and where the cards are torn or otherwise injured. Finally, the insecureattachment of the cards to the car results, yearly, in a considerablenumber of cards being lost, so that fro-1n the several causes abovestated accurate checking up and ity, is weather-proof, retains the cardsin place therein, is readily opened and closed, and attached to a car atthe prescribed point, and contains no joints which are apt to bind byreason of rust or accumulation of cinders.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved holderin its simplest form, the coverof the holder being shown in openposition;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the closed holder; Fig. 3 isa transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a fragmentalsectional perspective view showing the hinge and latch portions of theholder; Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view of a modifiedform of latch, the parts of the holder being shown as separated; Figs. 6and 7 are, respectively, a broken front elevation and a longitudinalsection of a holder having a modified form of hinge; Figs. 8 and 9 arebroken front and side elevations, respectively, of a holder having afurther modified form of latch; Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken onthe line 1010 of Fig. 9.

As shown in said drawings, the holder consists of two main parts orelements, a'

body portion, or body, and a cover therefor. Both elements arepreferably constructed of pressed sheet metal, as depicted in Figs. 1

to 7, inclusive, although they may be cast, if desired, and are sorepresented in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

The body A, Figs. 1 to 7 comprises a flat plate or base 1 provided atits several marginal edges w1th continuous outwardly-projecting flanges2, 3, 1 and 5, the lower or bottom flange 5 being bent slightly inward.This element is designed for attachment in any suitable manner, (forinstance, by means of screws 6, or the like), to the particular point onthe car prescribed by the Master Car Builders Association, or othergoverning body. The companion element, 2'. 6., the cover B, comprises,in like manner, a plate 7 having marginal flanges 8, 9, 10 and 11, thefirst three, which are located at the top and side edges of said plate,projecting inwardly for cooperation with the corresponding body flanges2, 3 and 4:, to prevent the entrance of water, snow and cinders into theinterior of the holder when the cover is closed. 4

The elements A and B are connected together at their upper ends by ahinge or pivot joint which is so constructed as to provide for a limitedamount of play during the opening and closing movements of the cover,and, also, to prevent binding between the parts thereof consequent uponthe formation of rust or the accumulation of cinders. In the formillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, this joint is produced by outer and innerrolled lips 12 and 13 provided upon the up per or top lips 2 and 8, theformer of which lips has an appreciable greater diameter than the latterand receives and partially incloses the same, the cover flange 8 beingprovided at its rear edge with a downward extension 14% that in turn isextended inwardly or forwardly and rolled to produce the lip 13. Theparticular form of joint just described may, however, be replaced ifdesired by the simpler type represented in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein thetwo side flanges 3 and L of the body A are provided adjacent their upperends with alining elongated vertical openings 15 through which extendthe end portions of'ahorizontal bolt 16 that connects the correspondingcover flanges 10 and 11. In both forms of joint, as will be understood,provision is made for a limited vertical movement of the cover B duringor incidental to its opening and closing, and in the first or lip formof joint the extension of the cover flanges 10 and 11 past the ends ofthe lips will serve to positively preclude the entrance of snow, wateror cinders between the lips, thus obviating any binding of said parts.In the bolt-and-slot construction, the same result is obtained byswaging the bolt ends.

The two main parts or elements of the holder are normally lockedtogether by means of a latch device which is designed to effectivelyprevent the cover from being accidentally opened, and this latch, whichis preferably of the combined gravity and inertia type, is locatedadjacent the lower end of the holder and is assisted in its auto 'maticaction by the play arranged for by of the slot being such as to permitwith drawal of the projection therefrom only when the cover has firstbeen moved endwise in an upward direction. The first and simplestconstruction is represented in Figs. 1 to 4, 6 and 7, wherein the latchproper 17 is located upon the cover flange 10 and is in the form of afinger which projects inwardly at right angles to said flange and isinclined with respect to the longitudinal edges of the same; said fingeris produced in the obvious manner by slitting and bending a portion ofthe flange at one side of the finger being cut away, as shown. Theretainer slot 18 adapted to receive this finger is formed in the bodyflange 4t and is inclined downwardly and inwardly at substantially thesame angle as said finger, the slot having a width which is somewhatgreater than the thickness of the finger and being enlarged or widenedto a considerable extent at its mouth. lVhen the cover element B is inclosed position, as depicted in Fig. 2, finger 1'7 will occupy the loweror inner end of slot 18 and, in consequence, said cover cannot be openedexcept by being raised directly upward until the finger moves past thekeeper 19, resulting from the enlargement of the slot month, thisposition of the parts being represented in Fig. 4. hen the cover isclosed, it will swing downwardly of its own weight until finger 17enters the retainer slot 18 and resumes its normal position at the innerend thereof, said cover moving endwise to a slight extent at thetermination of such swinging movement consequent upon the inertiaoccasioned thereby, the finger riding up over keeper 19.

lVhere the holder is to be attached to cars of the dump or hopper type,it is advisable to utilize the slightly modified form of latchillustrated in Fig. 5. In this construction, the finger 20 is disposedat right angles to the longitudinal edges of the cover flange, while theretainer slot 21 has an angular or bayonet shape, the outer branch ofthe slot being inclined inwardly and upwardly of the body flange, whilethe inner branch is extended laterally outward at its inner end toproduce the keeper 22. hen the cover is closed, as indicatedin dottedlines, in Fi 5, saidkeeper 22, which is preferably undercut, willproject slightly across finger 20 and'thus prevent the holder fromopening accidentally during the swinging movements of the hopper sides.7

In the further modified form of latch represented in Figs. 8, 9 and10,,the finger 23, or latch proper, consists of a lateral projec tionformed upon one of the side flanges of the bot y, while the retainerslot 24 has approximately the shape of a T or doublebayonet, theformation of this slot resulting in the production of the two keepers 25and 26. Either of these keepers, or both. if desired, may be undercut.

The operations of the two modified latch constructions are generallysimilar to that described above in connection with the preferred form,the inertia action being present in both instances.

I Means are provided within the holder for retaining therepair ordefectcards in place, and, in addition, the cover is preferably so constructedas to admit of its acting as a carrier for a so-called home-route cardor cards. The retaining means referred to consists primarily of a barb27 struck up from plate 1 during the formation of the body A, upon whichbarb the upper portions of the cards 28 are adapted to be impaled, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This barb has a slight upwardinclination, and its length is preferably somewhat greater than thedistance between the plates 1 and 7, when the holder is closed. Itbecomes necessary, therefore, to indent the cover plate 7 so as toprovide a recess 29 into which the terminal of the barb will project. Byutilizing this construction, it will be seen that accidentaldisplacement of the cards from the barb is completely prevented, sincethe cards cannot pass the terminal of the barb, owing to its extensioninto recess 29.

The home-route card 30, which is disposed upon the cover plate 7 asabove stated, and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, is held inplace thereon by means of a series of retainers and, in conjunctiontherewith, the bottom cover flange 9. In the form of the inventionillustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, these retainers are constitutedby horizontal straps, the intermediate and lower straps 31 and 32 beingproduced by bending or offsetting outwardly the portions of the plateincluded between pairs of parallel transverse slits with which the saidplate is formed. The upper strap 33 is produced in much the same manner,except that it has only one free edge, the slit from which this edgeresults being located adjacent recess 29. The lower edge of the saidhomeroute card is supported by means of the flanges 9, and these flangeswhose central portions are preferably cut away, may be folded backwardeither inwardly or outwardly into a position parallel with plate 7 asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Figs. 6 and 7, respectively; in the latterconstruction, the lower strap is located an appreciable distance abovethe lower edge of the plate, whereas in the former construction it isdisposed directly at that edge. In positioning the homeroute card, it ispassed upwardly beneath the intermediate strap 31, while the cover is inraised position, until its upper portion projects an appreciabledistance beneath the upper strap 33, whereupon it is moved downwardlyuntil its lower portion projects beneath the lower strap 32 and the edgeof that portion contacts with the junction or meeting point between saidstrap 32 and the bottom flange 9. These cards are of such a length thattheir upper edges are in approximate engagement with the under face ofthe barb 27 when the cover is closed, whereby said cards will be heldagainst endwise movement, as will be understood.

The final form of the invention depicted in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, comprisesbody and cover elements A and B which are constructed of cast ratherthan sheet metal. The side and bottom flanges of the cover plate 7 areextended forwardly past the front face of the plate, as indicated by thenumerals 34 and 35 and are connected by cross-bolts 36 which take theplace of the straps 31 and 32 in the first two constructions. In otherrespects, this form presents the main structural features of the twopreceding constructions, with the exception of the latch 2324, asalready noted, and of the barb 27 which latter is cast with the plate 1and projects at its free end into the indentation 29 in the cover plate,the oint between the cover and body elements consisting of a curved lip12' and a bead 13 substantially similar to the corresponding parts 12and 13 shown and described in connection with the first form.

To claim as our invention:

1. A card holder comprising pivotallyconnected body and cover elements,one of which is provided with a card-retaining device and the other witha recess into which said retaining device is adapted to project when thecover is closed and with a slit located adjacent said recess, and meanscarried by said other element adapted to retain a card in positionthereon, with one edge of the card projecting through said slit intoengagement with said retaining device when said cover is closed.

2. A card holder comprising pivotallyconnected body and cover elements,one of said elements being provided with a cardretaining device and theother element with a recess into which said'retaining device is adaptedto project when said cover is closed, and means carried by said otherelement adapted to retain a card in position thereon with one edge ofthe card in engagement with said retaining device when said cover isclosed.

3. A railway card holder comprising body and cover elements eachprovided with marginal flanges, said elements having a loose pivotalconnection at their upper ends to permit bodily endwise and swingingmovements of said cover in opposite directions, and having a combinedgravity and inertia latch connection adjacent their lower ends, saidlatch connection consisting of a slot formed in one of the flanges ofone element and having an inclined wall leading thereto and a lateralfinger provided upon the adjacent flange on the other element, saidfinger being adapted to leave said slot during the upward endwisemovement of the cover, and to automatically ride over said wall andenter said slot at the termination of the downward swinging movement ofsaid cover, consequent upon the inertia occasioned by such downwardswinging movement.

4. A railway card holder comprising body and cover elements having aloose pivotal connection at their upper ends to permit bodily endwiseand swinging movements of said cover in opposite directions, and havinga combined gravity and inertia latch connection adjacent their lowerends, said latch connection consisting of a slot formed in one elementand having an inclined wall leading thereto, and a finger provided uponthe other element, said finger being adapted to leave said slot duringthe upward endset our handsinpresence of two subscribing wlse movementof the cover, and to autowltnesses.

matical'ly ride over said Wall and enter said CHARLES O KEAGY slot thetermination of the downward 7 JAMES R OARMER eswingmg movement of saidcover, consequent upon the inertia. occasioned by such Witnesses:downward swinging movement. NATHAN MILLER Intestimony whereof We havehereunto BENJAMIN FISCHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe flommissioner'of Patents,

Washington, 110. r

